Sokharun Yim of South Hadley plans to open new restaurant in fomer Riverside Cafe building

The Republican | Dave RobackSokharun Yim, a restaurant manager, cook and bartender with a master's degree in guidance counseling, recently purchased the Riverside Cafe in South Hadley Falls, where he lives. He plans to turn it into a restaurant that includes dishes inspired by his Cambodian mother.

SOUTH HADLEY – The new owner of the Riverside Café on Bridge Street is a South Hadley resident who came to this country from Cambodia at age 1, bought his own home at age 25, has a master’s degree in guidance counseling, and loves his mother’s fried egg rolls so much that he grew up scarfing down a dozen at a time.

Sokharun Yim said it has been his dream to own a restaurant since he was 16 and washing dishes at the Hu ke Lau in Chicopee.

“I may seem young,” said Yim, 31, “but I’ve been doing this for a long time.” At 21, he was managing bars and restaurants in Springfield. For the past six years Yim has worked at Typical Sicilian Ristorante in Forest Park, first as a bartender and then as a cook.

The selectboard unanimously approved the transfer of the restaurant and liquor license, contingent on a certificate of inspection, and now Yim must wait for the state to approve the license, which usually takes a month.

He plans on training his staff and opening as soon as possible after that, starting slowly with a few appetizers like “Sonty’s Sach Aug,” marinated beef skewers with peanut or duck sauce, named after his sister.

A draft of his future full-scale menu is a curious mix of Cambodian and Italian cuisine – plus American burgers. Eventually Yim would like to establish a Cambodian lunch on Saturdays, starring his mother’s beef noodle soup.

“My mother always wanted to open her own Cambodian Restaurant,” he said.

Yim was born in Thailand. His parents immigrated from Cambodia in 1981, sponsored by the Lutheran Church. They lived in Holyoke before moving to South Hadley in 1987.

“I get my work ethic from my parents,” said Yim. “They worked hard all their lives. They’re factory workers and they’re proud of what they do, but they wanted us to do better.”

Yim’s brother is an engineer. His sister works in the corporate offices of Dunkin’ Donuts.

Yim graduated from South Hadley High School, Springfield Technical Community College, the University of Massachusetts and American International College.

With his master’s degree and state certification in hand, he applied for jobs in guidance counseling. The competition was fierce in this economy, and after two years he still had not found a job in his field. “I had to rethink my career goals,” he said.

Not that he was beaten. The idea of a restaurant continued to linger in the back of his mind. “I always feel things happen for a reason,” said Yim.

When the Riverside Café became available in his own town, he knew it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

“My parents are proud,” said Yim. “They know I’m doing what I want in life. My passion is for the bar and restaurant field. My buddies at Typical Sicilian are proud of me as well.”